UPDATE: As of 11 a.m. today, Hurricane Norman was located 435 miles east of Hilo.
The Category 3 storm continued to pack maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, and continued to move west, with its forward motion having slowed to 8 mph.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Olivia, which is 2,070 miles east of Hilo in the Eastern Pacific, has slowed from a Category 3 to a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: The National Weather Service has issued a high surf warning for east-facing shores of all major Hawaiian islands as a reinvigorated Hurricane Norman continues to move westward toward the Big Island.
The warning is in effect until 6 a.m. Friday.
Norman re-established itself as a major hurricane overnight, with maximum sustained winds increasing from 80 to 115 mph, making it a Category 3 storm. As of 5 a.m., Norman was about 480 miles east of Hilo, moving west at about 12 mph.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the of the storm and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles.
A large swell from Norman will rise today, forecasters say, and peak Thursday along east facing shores of the Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Oahu and Kauai.
Surf is forecast to increase to 10 to 15 feet in height today, and to 12 to 18 feet tonight and Thursday along east facing shores of the Big Island and Maui.
Possible impacts include ocean water occasionally sweeping across portions of beaches, very strong breaking waves, and strong currents. Large waves may break in harbor entrances making navigating the harbor channel dangerous.
Large breaking surf, significant shore break, and dangerous currents make entering the water very hazardous. Authorities advise people to stay well away from the shoreline along the affected coasts.
The forward motion of Norman is expected to slow slightly, and the storm is forecast to turn toward the west-northwest later today and tonight. A turn toward the northwest is expected Thursday and Thursday night.
The current forecast track, if it holds, will take Norman to the east of the Big Island sometime Thursday. The storm is not expected to bring much rain, and it may actually cause hot, muggy still-wind conditions as forecasters say it will likely cut off the Big Island’s tradewinds without being close enough to generate storm winds that can reach the island.
